Pistons center Andre Drummond walks off the court after his confrontation with Nets forward Quincy Acy during the third quarter Sunday, April 1, 2018 in New York. Both Drummond and Acy were ejected as a result of the play.
Adam Hunger, AP

Nets forward Quincy Acy yells as he is restrained after being shoved by Pistons center Andre Drummond during the third quarter Sunday, April 1, 2018 in New York. Both Drummond and Acy were ejected.
Adam Hunger, AP

PG Ish Smith: C. 2018-19 salary: $6 M. The word: He’s still a good bargain as a solid backup, but he was exposed as a starter with Jackson out 37 games. Teams could game plan for the non-shooting threat and opponents packed the paint. It’s a good sign that he shot 41.5 percent from 3-point range (22-for-53) during March and April.
Adam Hunger, AP

SF Stanley Johnson: C-minus. 2018-19 salary: $3.9 M. The word: Doesn’t shoot well enough. Still not proficient with his left hand. Still headstrong. With the clock ticking on a potential payday (he’s eligible for a contract extension this offseason), Pistons may decide to let another team try to make him a consistent player. Flashes potential with some regularity.(Photo: Noah K. Murray, USA TODAY Sports)

The Pistons' best chance lies in catching the Bucks. The two teams split the four-game series this season, but the Pistons take the next tiebreaker with a better division record.

The Pistons also split the series against Heat, but lose the tiebreaker because of Miami’s superior Eastern Conference record.

The Bucks are the loser in a three-way tie because of the worst record in head-to-head games among the three teams.

Heartbreaking day

Pistons assistant coach Rex Wolters was part of the team’s contingent to pay their respects on Saturday to Grand Rapids Drive forward Zeke Upshaw, who died last week at 26.

Wolters traveled to the House of Hope in Chicago since he coached Upshaw last season when he was the head coach of the Drive, the Pistons’ Gatorade League affiliate.

“It’s kind of heartbreaking, quite honestly,” Wolters said Sunday before the Nets game.

Wolters couldn’t stay for the funeral because he had to be in New York for Saturday’s 5 p.m. tip-off against the Knicks.

But he carriers the memory of Upshaw.

He recalled how Upshaw helped the Drive win games as an undersized power forward.

Grand Rapids Drive forward Zeke Upshaw dribbles during a game Feb. 28, 2018. Upshaw collapsed on the court March 24 during a G League game and died two days later. He was 26 years old.(Photo: Jose Juarez, AP)

But when the Pistons sent down then-rookie Henry Ellenson for playing time, Upshaw never complained.

“He made it very easy for me because it’s never easy to say, ‘Hey, you’re inactive tonight. We’re screwing you. We’re screwing you out of playing time,’” Wolters said. “Just came to work each day so there wasn’t a bad thought in his mind.

Upshaw, a Chicago native who played for Illinois State and Hofstra, wasn't drafted into the NBA but played internationally in Slovenia and Luxembourg. He spent most of the last two seasons with the Drive, appearing in 75 games, primarily as a reserve, and averaging 7.6 points.

Upshaw was a fourth-round pick of the Drive in the 2016 G-League draft.

Woozy Pistons

Luke Kennard and Reggie Bullock both had to leave the game against the Nets with concussion-like symptoms and Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy wasn’t sure of their availability for Wednesday night’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers (7, Fox Sports Detroit) at Little Caesars Arena.

“They both got hit in the head, so I didn’t have either one of them,” Van Gundy said.

Kennard said he was checked for a concussion afterward, but said he felt fine.